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Devil in the Darkness
En route to their honeymoon in the Scottish Highlands, Paul and Carol Wilson lose their way in an unseasonable blizzard and are forced to take shelter in remote Ardvreck House. But this sprawling, dilapidated Victorian mansion, with its reputation as the scene of violent unsolved mysteries, is also playing host to an eclectic and mysterious group of people who are engaged in a bizarre experiment. It soon becomes clear that even more threatening than the worsening storm outside are the dangers The Wilsons and the rest of the assembled company may not survive their stay, as Ardvreck House, home to a century-old evil, refuses to give up its long-buried secret - the devil in the darkness. Renowned professor of astronomy Archie Roy was also a prominent researcher in the field of the paranormal. Drawing heavily on his own experience and investigations, Devil in the Darkness (1978) is a chilling haunted house story in the tradition of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House and Richard Matheson's Hell House . This new edition makes Roy's sixth novel available in America for the first time and includes a new introduction by Greg Gbur. 'Exciting thriller, as good as a Hammer movie, with supernatural doings in an evil mansion.' - Alastair Philips, Glasgow Herald
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Archie Roy
9 books5 followersProfessor Archie Edminston Roy, also published as Archie E. Roy and A.E. Roy, was educated at Hillhead High School and the University of Glasgow. He was married to Frances with three sons; Dr. Archie W.N. Roy, Ian Roy and David Roy.
Professor Roy was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Astronomical Society, and the British Interplanetary Society. He was also a Member and past President of the Society for Psychical Research and Founding President of The Scottish Society for Psychical Research.
The asteroid (5806) Archieroy is named after him, with a registration in the IAU's Minor planet center. He has also been elected a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and the Humanities. He was a Patron of the Churches Fellowship (Scotland) for Psychical and Spiritual Studies and a member of the Scientific and Medical Network. Archie Roy conducted research in astrodynamics, celestial mechanics, archaeoastronomy, psychical research, and neural networks.
In addition Roy has published 20 books, six of them novels, some 70 scientific papers and scores of articles. His books have been published in the United Kingdom, United States, France, Russia, Italy and India.
In 2004 he was awarded the Myers Memorial Medal for outstanding contributions to psychical research by the Society for Psychical Research.
Professor Roy was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Astronomical Society, and the British Interplanetary Society. He was also a Member and past President of the Society for Psychical Research and Founding President of The Scottish Society for Psychical Research.
The asteroid (5806) Archieroy is named after him, with a registration in the IAU's Minor planet center. He has also been elected a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and the Humanities. He was a Patron of the Churches Fellowship (Scotland) for Psychical and Spiritual Studies and a member of the Scientific and Medical Network. Archie Roy conducted research in astrodynamics, celestial mechanics, archaeoastronomy, psychical research, and neural networks.
In addition Roy has published 20 books, six of them novels, some 70 scientific papers and scores of articles. His books have been published in the United Kingdom, United States, France, Russia, Italy and India.
In 2004 he was awarded the Myers Memorial Medal for outstanding contributions to psychical research by the Society for Psychical Research.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 1, 2022
the set-up is classic: innocent young couple finds refuge from a snowstorm in a haunted mansion. a slight twist: there are visitors there already, representatives from science and media and the military, all gathered to investigate the estate's history of mysterious deaths and then - and I loved this - planning to blow the whole place up. unfortunately for everyone except the reader, the snowstorm blows harder and the whole cast is stuck in the malevolent manse for several days. there will be blood...
this was enjoyable. Archie Roy is an accomplished writer and he makes the whole thing spooky and atmospheric. bonus: . all in all, a fun little ride and not particularly corny despite the familiar set-up. no complaints!
this was enjoyable. Archie Roy is an accomplished writer and he makes the whole thing spooky and atmospheric. bonus: . all in all, a fun little ride and not particularly corny despite the familiar set-up. no complaints!
February 25, 2017
Sometimes it's nice to have a fresh perspective. I kept thinking to myself as I read this novel, "Man, this is really dissimilar to most books in the haunted house sub genre. It's almost as if Roy came to it semi-blindly." After reading Roy's bio afterward, I saw that while he did write several novels, he didn't write a ton of horror. This didn't surprise me.
What also didn't surprise me was that he was an astronomy professor and a highly-respected researcher. These facets of his brilliant mind show in DEVIL IN THE DARKNESS.
The point to which I'm meandering is this: Had a conventional horror novelist told this story, it wouldn't have been particularly special. If you stand back and look at it from afar, its bare bones are nothing you haven't heard before.
Ah, but this is why what a writer brings to a book is so important. An author's unique lens.
Told through Roy's atypical but effective prose, this story becomes something very interesting indeed. Roy makes decisions other authors wouldn't make (for instance, introducing a boatload of characters in one scene and trusting the reader to eventually sort them all out). Roy shrewdly juxtaposes frustrated yearning in the present with multiple longings (both satisfied and unsatisfied) in the past. He makes the bold decision to unfold the resolution in an unconventional manner, but like most of his decisions, this one pays off and strengthens the novel rather than compromising it.
In short, this is a very good book, partially because of its plot, but more so because of its telling.
And I'm happy that Mr. Roy set aside his scientific work for a spell so he could bring us a creepy ghost story.
What also didn't surprise me was that he was an astronomy professor and a highly-respected researcher. These facets of his brilliant mind show in DEVIL IN THE DARKNESS.
The point to which I'm meandering is this: Had a conventional horror novelist told this story, it wouldn't have been particularly special. If you stand back and look at it from afar, its bare bones are nothing you haven't heard before.
Ah, but this is why what a writer brings to a book is so important. An author's unique lens.
Told through Roy's atypical but effective prose, this story becomes something very interesting indeed. Roy makes decisions other authors wouldn't make (for instance, introducing a boatload of characters in one scene and trusting the reader to eventually sort them all out). Roy shrewdly juxtaposes frustrated yearning in the present with multiple longings (both satisfied and unsatisfied) in the past. He makes the bold decision to unfold the resolution in an unconventional manner, but like most of his decisions, this one pays off and strengthens the novel rather than compromising it.
In short, this is a very good book, partially because of its plot, but more so because of its telling.
And I'm happy that Mr. Roy set aside his scientific work for a spell so he could bring us a creepy ghost story.
May 5, 2023
Haunted Mansion!
Small backstory:
Paul Wilson and his wife, Carol end up having to pull into the driveway of run down mansion as the blizzard that they found themselves in was too much for them to keep driving. Paul and Carol are kind of surprised when the mansion door opens and someone comes out to greet them as the mansion looks to be abandoned.
When Paul and Carol are ushered inside they are very surprised to see a few people gathered around and they think maybe they stumbled into some sort of party. Once they meet everyone they learn that the people are there for some sort of séance and they are wanting to contact the dead. From that point on things take an interesting turn and the house comes alive with haunting activity, but they will all have to endure it as the blizzard rages outside and no one can leave!
That is about all I can give on a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and as much as I liked the writing style the actual story really did nothing for me. The haunting of the mansion was not super spooky like I thought it would be and the seances become constant throughout the story as one of the characters tells a story about the past.
As interesting as the past seems to be about what happened in the mansion the story takes a long time getting to that point and it all just seemed drawn out to me which seemed to drag in spots. All in all I am glad I read this book as I have owned it for a long time. Giving this book three "Spooky Séance" stars!
Small backstory:
Paul Wilson and his wife, Carol end up having to pull into the driveway of run down mansion as the blizzard that they found themselves in was too much for them to keep driving. Paul and Carol are kind of surprised when the mansion door opens and someone comes out to greet them as the mansion looks to be abandoned.
When Paul and Carol are ushered inside they are very surprised to see a few people gathered around and they think maybe they stumbled into some sort of party. Once they meet everyone they learn that the people are there for some sort of séance and they are wanting to contact the dead. From that point on things take an interesting turn and the house comes alive with haunting activity, but they will all have to endure it as the blizzard rages outside and no one can leave!
That is about all I can give on a small taste without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and as much as I liked the writing style the actual story really did nothing for me. The haunting of the mansion was not super spooky like I thought it would be and the seances become constant throughout the story as one of the characters tells a story about the past.
As interesting as the past seems to be about what happened in the mansion the story takes a long time getting to that point and it all just seemed drawn out to me which seemed to drag in spots. All in all I am glad I read this book as I have owned it for a long time. Giving this book three "Spooky Séance" stars!
April 9, 2017
DEVIL IN THE DARKNESS, by Archie Roy, was originally released in 1978, and has now been published by Valancourt Books with an all new introduction by Greg Gbur. As with all of the "forgotten gems" I've discovered through the endeavors of Valancourt Books, this was a novel that I feel absolutely thrilled to have been able to read--having the distinction of being the first time it was available in America.
Archie Roy takes on the "haunted house" genre in a calculated way, reminiscent to me of Shirley Jackson's classic, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. However, Roy adds to the assembled "paranormal investigation" by throwing into the mix some military personal--intent on demolishing the building in the near future, several scientists--including one prone to excessive media coverage at all times, and an unfortunate couple en route to their honeymoon--Paul and Carol Wilson--who are forced into the gathering by an unfortunate snowstorm.
Ardvreck House is a dilapidated Victorian mansion in the Scottish Highlands. At the start of the story, we are informed of its evil and tainted reputation, along with the fact that it has been unoccupied or the last fifteen years.
". . . Like an elderly, chronically ill person, Ardvreck House existed on the edge of final dissolution . . ."
The classic touches such as the unrelenting snowstorm and blocked roads, dramatically increases the claustrophobic sensation--especially in regards to the unexpected newlyweds. The tension of having to spend their wedding night in a decrepit, molding building that had been the scene of so many murders and suicides throughout its history, compounded with being thrust into the midst of a rather large group of strangers, and literally "trapped" for an uncertain amount of time plays on the nerves, emotions, and already discomforting feelings in quite a theatrical fashion. One simply could not have come up with a more unbearable set of circumstances.
". . . All he knew was that he hated and loathed this house."
Roy then combines his characters, and goes off into a bit of paranormal research regarding the history of Ardvreck House. As expected, tension is dramatically heightened at each and every new turn of events.
"In my researches . . . I found that in thirty years two owners and five servants committed suicide . . . "
The pacing of this novel is steadily increased throughout the entire duration, with no minor "lulls" to give the reader a mental break. It is--in my opinion--a book designed to capture and captivate the full attention of its audience from first to last page, without a single pause in action. Naturally, the crumbling Victorian estate fully cooperates in magnifying this feeling.
"With so many people living in the house again, it may be that it is, for want of a better word, powering-up again."
Overflowing with desolate atmosphere, characters with unique personalities, paranormal testing, and supernatural occurrences of all kinds, Archie Roy's novel is one I firmly believe deserves wider recognition in the literary field.
Highly recommended!
Archie Roy takes on the "haunted house" genre in a calculated way, reminiscent to me of Shirley Jackson's classic, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. However, Roy adds to the assembled "paranormal investigation" by throwing into the mix some military personal--intent on demolishing the building in the near future, several scientists--including one prone to excessive media coverage at all times, and an unfortunate couple en route to their honeymoon--Paul and Carol Wilson--who are forced into the gathering by an unfortunate snowstorm.
Ardvreck House is a dilapidated Victorian mansion in the Scottish Highlands. At the start of the story, we are informed of its evil and tainted reputation, along with the fact that it has been unoccupied or the last fifteen years.
". . . Like an elderly, chronically ill person, Ardvreck House existed on the edge of final dissolution . . ."
The classic touches such as the unrelenting snowstorm and blocked roads, dramatically increases the claustrophobic sensation--especially in regards to the unexpected newlyweds. The tension of having to spend their wedding night in a decrepit, molding building that had been the scene of so many murders and suicides throughout its history, compounded with being thrust into the midst of a rather large group of strangers, and literally "trapped" for an uncertain amount of time plays on the nerves, emotions, and already discomforting feelings in quite a theatrical fashion. One simply could not have come up with a more unbearable set of circumstances.
". . . All he knew was that he hated and loathed this house."
Roy then combines his characters, and goes off into a bit of paranormal research regarding the history of Ardvreck House. As expected, tension is dramatically heightened at each and every new turn of events.
"In my researches . . . I found that in thirty years two owners and five servants committed suicide . . . "
The pacing of this novel is steadily increased throughout the entire duration, with no minor "lulls" to give the reader a mental break. It is--in my opinion--a book designed to capture and captivate the full attention of its audience from first to last page, without a single pause in action. Naturally, the crumbling Victorian estate fully cooperates in magnifying this feeling.
"With so many people living in the house again, it may be that it is, for want of a better word, powering-up again."
Overflowing with desolate atmosphere, characters with unique personalities, paranormal testing, and supernatural occurrences of all kinds, Archie Roy's novel is one I firmly believe deserves wider recognition in the literary field.
Highly recommended!
October 31, 2016
I made the mistake of reading this book late at night, when everyone else in the house was asleep. Admittedly, I turned on more lights than usual when getting ready for bed later!
Set in rural Scotland, newlyweds Paul and Carol Wilson are on their way to their honeymoon cabin in the country. Encountering an unseasonal blizzard along the way, they get lost. Seeing lights up ahead, they decide to see if they can spend the night there instead of trying to drive further. What they find at the end of the driveway is Ardvreck House, a dilapidated Victorian manor. The lights inside are from a motley group of researchers, who are spending a week in the house to investigate the supposed history of paranormal activity.
Things that go bump in the night, dark hallways, hypnotism, peeling wallpaper, poltergeist activity, and unexplained disturbances all make appearances in the book. There's also an underlying mystery involving the history of the house: what happened there?
I love Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House (it's actually one of my favorite books), and Devil in the Darkness reminded me of it. It's more about the house and the atmosphere than gore and constant action.
Set in rural Scotland, newlyweds Paul and Carol Wilson are on their way to their honeymoon cabin in the country. Encountering an unseasonal blizzard along the way, they get lost. Seeing lights up ahead, they decide to see if they can spend the night there instead of trying to drive further. What they find at the end of the driveway is Ardvreck House, a dilapidated Victorian manor. The lights inside are from a motley group of researchers, who are spending a week in the house to investigate the supposed history of paranormal activity.
Things that go bump in the night, dark hallways, hypnotism, peeling wallpaper, poltergeist activity, and unexplained disturbances all make appearances in the book. There's also an underlying mystery involving the history of the house: what happened there?
I love Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House (it's actually one of my favorite books), and Devil in the Darkness reminded me of it. It's more about the house and the atmosphere than gore and constant action.
August 28, 2017
In a classic haunted-house setup, a young newlywed couple get caught in a snowstorm and have to take refuge in a hulking mansion inhabited by a motley gang of strangers. It soon emerges the mismatched group – which includes a TV crew, a parapsychologist and some ex-military men – are there to investigate reports of paranormal activity stretching all the way back to the previous century. In fact, the place is so riddled with phantoms that the current owner wants to, quite literally, blow it up. Various ghostly hijinks ensue, and we learn a little of the cursed house's horrible history.
First published in 1978, Devil in the Darkness unfortunately doesn't read as particularly original or surprising in 2017, and the most frightening incident – the only moment that sent an actual chill down my spine – is never revisited or elucidated in any way. Still, the ending provides a grim kind of satisfaction, and since it's a short book, it's worth the time it takes to read it. Best saved for a dark and stormy night. (And on that note, isn't the cover fantastic?)
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First published in 1978, Devil in the Darkness unfortunately doesn't read as particularly original or surprising in 2017, and the most frightening incident – the only moment that sent an actual chill down my spine – is never revisited or elucidated in any way. Still, the ending provides a grim kind of satisfaction, and since it's a short book, it's worth the time it takes to read it. Best saved for a dark and stormy night. (And on that note, isn't the cover fantastic?)
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October 21, 2019
A sudden snowstorm in the Scottish Highlands strands a newly married couple in a crumbling Victorian mansion known as Ardvreck House, along with a team of paranormal investigators and demolition experts already there, seeking proof that the mansion is haunted before the old pile is reduced to rubble.
Archie Roy, a noted astronomer and physical researcher, brings a sane, scientific approach to the haunted house genre, without losing an ounce of atmosphere or dread. And avoiding the cocksure, self serving/self promoting nonsense that oozes from such 'paranormal investigators' as the Warrens. The suspense steadily mounts without being bogged down by the dry tone scientific writing has been known to be plagued with.
Originally published in 1978 and brought to America for the first time by Valancourt Books (Where do they find these wonderful lost gems?)
Archie Roy, a noted astronomer and physical researcher, brings a sane, scientific approach to the haunted house genre, without losing an ounce of atmosphere or dread. And avoiding the cocksure, self serving/self promoting nonsense that oozes from such 'paranormal investigators' as the Warrens. The suspense steadily mounts without being bogged down by the dry tone scientific writing has been known to be plagued with.
Originally published in 1978 and brought to America for the first time by Valancourt Books (Where do they find these wonderful lost gems?)
November 19, 2016
Another good one from Valancourt. Then again, I'm a quite partial to haunted house stories; add in the "benighted" aspect that is part of this novel and Devil in the Darkness made me crazy happy -- sometimes I'm just in it for story and this book did not at all disappoint.
The author of this book is no fly-by-night dude who decided one day to write a book about a haunted house. Archie Roy was a celebrated scientist, and in his introduction to this novel, Greg Gbur notes that
"what we have in Archie Roy's Devil in the Darkness is a truly unique novel: a haunted house tale written by a man who was simultaneously a professional physical scientist, a professional author, and a professional paranormal investigator."
While that's interesting to note, the real draw is the story itself -- it's one I couldn't put down until I'd finished the entire book.
Set in Scotland, a newlywed couple on the way to their honeymoon destination find themselves lost and caught up in a horrific snowstorm. As the road begins to deteriorate, as the windshield wipers fail, and as the couple is unable to turn around to make it back to safety, Paul and Carol Wilson decide that it's time to take shelter anywhere they can find it. In the darkness they see a light, leading them to Ardvreck House. The man who answers the door informs him that he and Carol are welcome to stay, and that all of the people currently in the house are "strangers." Other than that bit of information, no one tells the newlyweds who are they are, where they're from, or why they're there in the house, but since the Wilsons plan on leaving in the morning, it doesn't seem too important at the time. The newlyweds are given a room, where they bed down for the night. At about 2:20 a.m., Paul is awakened by strange sounds from the room above theirs, goes up to investigate, and finds nothing. The next day, they depart, but return to the house when they discover that the road ahead is no good, and they're stuck for the duration. It is then when their housemates reveal what they're doing at Ardvreck House, and it is not long at all before the Wilsons become witnesses to strange events taking place there. Discovering what lies at the heart of these dark doings becomes a quest for everyone in the house, but whatever it is that shares the house with these people isn't going to make things easy for them.
Greg Gbur in his introduction goes on to say that the revelation behind what's going on in this house "clearly draws upon Roy's own investigations and theories about hauntings," which makes the story even more fun to read, knowing that it comes from the mind of someone who's spent a lot of time in reputedly-haunted houses. While it may not be the best haunted house story I've ever read (the honor there goes hands down to The Haunting of Hill House), it's definitely fun with a good, solid mystery at its core. And when all is said and done, it's also highly satisfying and just oozes atmosphere.
With no gore and no guts spilling out anywhere, Devil in the Darkness reminds us that blood doesn't need to be splashed all over a horror novel's pages for it to provide good, solid entertainment and a story that will keep its reader turning pages. I had a lot of fun with this book and once again, a salute to the Valancourt guys for liking it enough to re-introduce it into the reading world. I liked it enough to immediately buy two other books by Archie Roy, so that should say something right there.
recommended to readers of haunted-house stories.
The author of this book is no fly-by-night dude who decided one day to write a book about a haunted house. Archie Roy was a celebrated scientist, and in his introduction to this novel, Greg Gbur notes that
"what we have in Archie Roy's Devil in the Darkness is a truly unique novel: a haunted house tale written by a man who was simultaneously a professional physical scientist, a professional author, and a professional paranormal investigator."
While that's interesting to note, the real draw is the story itself -- it's one I couldn't put down until I'd finished the entire book.
Set in Scotland, a newlywed couple on the way to their honeymoon destination find themselves lost and caught up in a horrific snowstorm. As the road begins to deteriorate, as the windshield wipers fail, and as the couple is unable to turn around to make it back to safety, Paul and Carol Wilson decide that it's time to take shelter anywhere they can find it. In the darkness they see a light, leading them to Ardvreck House. The man who answers the door informs him that he and Carol are welcome to stay, and that all of the people currently in the house are "strangers." Other than that bit of information, no one tells the newlyweds who are they are, where they're from, or why they're there in the house, but since the Wilsons plan on leaving in the morning, it doesn't seem too important at the time. The newlyweds are given a room, where they bed down for the night. At about 2:20 a.m., Paul is awakened by strange sounds from the room above theirs, goes up to investigate, and finds nothing. The next day, they depart, but return to the house when they discover that the road ahead is no good, and they're stuck for the duration. It is then when their housemates reveal what they're doing at Ardvreck House, and it is not long at all before the Wilsons become witnesses to strange events taking place there. Discovering what lies at the heart of these dark doings becomes a quest for everyone in the house, but whatever it is that shares the house with these people isn't going to make things easy for them.
Greg Gbur in his introduction goes on to say that the revelation behind what's going on in this house "clearly draws upon Roy's own investigations and theories about hauntings," which makes the story even more fun to read, knowing that it comes from the mind of someone who's spent a lot of time in reputedly-haunted houses. While it may not be the best haunted house story I've ever read (the honor there goes hands down to The Haunting of Hill House), it's definitely fun with a good, solid mystery at its core. And when all is said and done, it's also highly satisfying and just oozes atmosphere.
With no gore and no guts spilling out anywhere, Devil in the Darkness reminds us that blood doesn't need to be splashed all over a horror novel's pages for it to provide good, solid entertainment and a story that will keep its reader turning pages. I had a lot of fun with this book and once again, a salute to the Valancourt guys for liking it enough to re-introduce it into the reading world. I liked it enough to immediately buy two other books by Archie Roy, so that should say something right there.
recommended to readers of haunted-house stories.
November 2, 2016
Good old fashioned haunted house story (in this case, a haunted Scottish mansion) here. Rates very high on the atmosphere index, which is a sure plus for me. I really enjoyed the steady sense of dread (that naturally comes with seeking refuge from a winter storm in a haunted mansion). There is no rush to get to the 'good parts' or that feeling the author is just going through a check off list to meet the formula prerequisites. Rather, as you read this novel late at night in an empty house, you too find yourself stuck in that snowstorm desperately looking for shelter. You explore the old mansion right along with our narrator. And yes, you encounter some really great thrills along the way. I especially enjoy Archie Roy's unfolding of the story and that constant threat of doom just around the corner. It's personal taste, of course, but reading this classic book late at night was so much fun. Roy's steady atmospheric delivery kept me saying to myself...this is why I love horror!
October 18, 2016
Devil in the Darkness is a haunted house/paranormal investigation book in the vein of House on Haunted Hill and Hell House, and Archie Roy's book stands with those classics. Roy writes the haunted scenes in such a marvelously spooky way that I was feeling physical tension at some points, and that doesn't happen often. I loved that the story was told through the eyes of outsiders during an abnormal snow storm.
My only nits to pick are the shortness of the story, especially concerning the resolution. I felt the book could have an additional 20-50 pages without issue. The brevity at the end makes this more of a 3.5 star rating for me; however, that is still quite high and reflects the awesome, atmospheric story that is ideal for anyone looking for a haunted house story.
My only nits to pick are the shortness of the story, especially concerning the resolution. I felt the book could have an additional 20-50 pages without issue. The brevity at the end makes this more of a 3.5 star rating for me; however, that is still quite high and reflects the awesome, atmospheric story that is ideal for anyone looking for a haunted house story.
October 19, 2024
If there’s such a thing as ‘cosy horror’ this is it; a honeymooning couple, a snow storm, a gothic mansion, the remote Scottish Highlands, and of course, strange goings-on.
It may be a well worn set of circumstances, but it’s one that still goes down well. It’s easy to read, and perversely comforting.
Paul and Carol Wilson are the said honeymooners in the Scottish Highlands. The blizzard causes them to lose their way and they seek shelter in the nearest house, like so many in such novels before. The old and crumbling mansion is currently occupied by a strange collection of characters, of course.. Indeed, the have stumbled across a paranormal experiment. Ardvreck House has always had a reputation for being haunted, and the occupants of the house are there to prove this through scientific means.
By trade, Archie Roy was one of Scotland’s most distinguished astronomers, and a world expert on celestial mechanics and the movements of heavenly bodies. He was made professor at Glasgow University in 1977, and died at the age of 88 in 2012. He has an asteroid, 5806 Archieroy, named after him.
In the last ten years of his life his focus was psychic research, which raised a few eyebrows amongst his academic peers.
Roy would never definitively state that he believed that there was life after death. On the other hand, he did claim that "if I die and I find out I have not survived, I will be very surprised.”
Though he wrote only ‘for a bit of fun’ this is remarkably well written, gradually increasing the sense of dread, without showing its hand, and building to a genuinely horrific revelation.
It may be a well worn set of circumstances, but it’s one that still goes down well. It’s easy to read, and perversely comforting.
Paul and Carol Wilson are the said honeymooners in the Scottish Highlands. The blizzard causes them to lose their way and they seek shelter in the nearest house, like so many in such novels before. The old and crumbling mansion is currently occupied by a strange collection of characters, of course.. Indeed, the have stumbled across a paranormal experiment. Ardvreck House has always had a reputation for being haunted, and the occupants of the house are there to prove this through scientific means.
By trade, Archie Roy was one of Scotland’s most distinguished astronomers, and a world expert on celestial mechanics and the movements of heavenly bodies. He was made professor at Glasgow University in 1977, and died at the age of 88 in 2012. He has an asteroid, 5806 Archieroy, named after him.
In the last ten years of his life his focus was psychic research, which raised a few eyebrows amongst his academic peers.
Roy would never definitively state that he believed that there was life after death. On the other hand, he did claim that "if I die and I find out I have not survived, I will be very surprised.”
Though he wrote only ‘for a bit of fun’ this is remarkably well written, gradually increasing the sense of dread, without showing its hand, and building to a genuinely horrific revelation.
January 10, 2023
4.5
I very much enjoyed this reprint from Valancourt.
There is not actually a "devil" but the word can be used interachangeably with the human heart and monstrosities we commit to each other, shown in backstory, revelations at the end, and the dry-rot atmosphere of the house (especially that bed scene!)
It has a genuine subtle creepiness and a back-history explained in good detail with the ending reveal being suitable grim. You also get the secluded, isolated snow storm with the trapped feeling. Sadly, no one becomes paranoid with each other, but realistically they are not housed together long enough for that to happen.
Valancourt specializes in "the rediscovery of rare, neglected, and out-of-print fiction," in particular gay titles and Gothic and horror novels from the 18th century to the 1980s. Not all my borrows and buys have been gems, but this is one of them. Most of their books have a lengthy introduction which I actually enjoy, mainly started due to the popular "Paperbacks from Hell", in which they have reprinted many from that book. In this case the author was a renowed scholar who got into the supernatural later in life, and this was his final of six books.
I plan to read several of the publisher's books this year, and so far this may be my favorite that I've tried. It's short and an easy read but has enough ambience to carry it through.
I very much enjoyed this reprint from Valancourt.
There is not actually a "devil" but the word can be used interachangeably with the human heart and monstrosities we commit to each other, shown in backstory, revelations at the end, and the dry-rot atmosphere of the house (especially that bed scene!)
It has a genuine subtle creepiness and a back-history explained in good detail with the ending reveal being suitable grim. You also get the secluded, isolated snow storm with the trapped feeling. Sadly, no one becomes paranoid with each other, but realistically they are not housed together long enough for that to happen.
Valancourt specializes in "the rediscovery of rare, neglected, and out-of-print fiction," in particular gay titles and Gothic and horror novels from the 18th century to the 1980s. Not all my borrows and buys have been gems, but this is one of them. Most of their books have a lengthy introduction which I actually enjoy, mainly started due to the popular "Paperbacks from Hell", in which they have reprinted many from that book. In this case the author was a renowed scholar who got into the supernatural later in life, and this was his final of six books.
I plan to read several of the publisher's books this year, and so far this may be my favorite that I've tried. It's short and an easy read but has enough ambience to carry it through.
June 24, 2026
Had so much going for it and had some super creepy moments for sure! A solid 3 star!
August 26, 2022
DNF
Bellissima copertina, trama molto ma molto strana, ma comunque lentissimo. E la pseudo setta non mi piace per niente.
Bellissima copertina, trama molto ma molto strana, ma comunque lentissimo. E la pseudo setta non mi piace per niente.
May 22, 2021
3.5 stars.
I mean, this was... fine? Anyone who even vaguely knows me knows I'm an absolute sucker for stories about people getting lost or stranded in creepy places, and this book certainly seemed to tick that box at first. And I was super hopeful when the newlyweds had shared the driving.
Sadly, the sexism really came through right from the start and I kinda wanted to cry. The women - even one who worked on the film crew staying at the house - were relegated to cooking duties. They were constantly shielded from danger (and any interesting occurrences) by the men, and basically weren't allowed to do anything. And Paul kept calling his wife Carol 'the girl'.
And it took everyone absolutely ages to do anything! At one point they regress a woman back to her former life (which then wasn't relevant to the ending AT ALL), and she reveals the location of a clue that might solve the entire mystery they've come here to solve. And instead of walking up one flight of stairs to find the object, they instead spend a load of time talking, then packing up the cars, then heating up blankets, then talking some more. It just completely ruined all the buildup of tension for me. And when Meredith was telling the house's story, he stopped THREE TIMES so they could eat or switch rooms or have a different conversation. Just get on with it man!!!
There were a couple of creepy bits - when Paul first hears the sounds upstairs, and when they first arrive at the house. And I'd created a BRILLIANT twist ending that Archie Roy really should have gone with - I thought Carol and Paul were ghosts and that's why they let them into the house so readily, because they were expecting spirits to turn up. And it'd be revealed at the end that they were dead.
But nope.
I liked the ending, because it was brutal, but that's really all I can say for this book, unfortunately. Things started out so well :(
I mean, this was... fine? Anyone who even vaguely knows me knows I'm an absolute sucker for stories about people getting lost or stranded in creepy places, and this book certainly seemed to tick that box at first. And I was super hopeful when the newlyweds had shared the driving.
Sadly, the sexism really came through right from the start and I kinda wanted to cry. The women - even one who worked on the film crew staying at the house - were relegated to cooking duties. They were constantly shielded from danger (and any interesting occurrences) by the men, and basically weren't allowed to do anything. And Paul kept calling his wife Carol 'the girl'.
And it took everyone absolutely ages to do anything! At one point they regress a woman back to her former life (which then wasn't relevant to the ending AT ALL), and she reveals the location of a clue that might solve the entire mystery they've come here to solve. And instead of walking up one flight of stairs to find the object, they instead spend a load of time talking, then packing up the cars, then heating up blankets, then talking some more. It just completely ruined all the buildup of tension for me. And when Meredith was telling the house's story, he stopped THREE TIMES so they could eat or switch rooms or have a different conversation. Just get on with it man!!!
There were a couple of creepy bits - when Paul first hears the sounds upstairs, and when they first arrive at the house. And I'd created a BRILLIANT twist ending that Archie Roy really should have gone with - I thought Carol and Paul were ghosts and that's why they let them into the house so readily, because they were expecting spirits to turn up. And it'd be revealed at the end that they were dead.
But nope.
I liked the ending, because it was brutal, but that's really all I can say for this book, unfortunately. Things started out so well :(
October 19, 2016
Our lovely delectable fragrant newly married couple, Paul and Carol, are off for a night of knee-trembling passion following their very recent marriage. Unfortunately travelling towards the holiday cottage in the Highlands of Scotland becomes impossible due to adverse weather conditions and they are diverted to the ghostly Gothic pile known as Ardvreck House. Here they encounter an assortment of misfits who are attempting to unveil the house's evil past and our young, innocent, naive couple become involved even trapped, unaware of the evil and the dangers that lurk...close by...in the shadows.....boo!!
This story is somewhere west of Margaret Rutherford and east of Agatha Christie where most of the players debate the merits and wickedness of previous owners whilst attempting to keep each other warm (Paul and Carol had no trouble there :) and relatively sane as a ghostly coldness makes its presence known. Will our heroes survive? Will the house remain intact? Will the secrets of the previous owners be laid bare....do I care? This was a very run of the mill story, slow and ponderous with wooden stilted characters and felt at times like the board game cluedo or the finale gathering in a Hercule Poirot adventure. Not a story I would recommend.
This story is somewhere west of Margaret Rutherford and east of Agatha Christie where most of the players debate the merits and wickedness of previous owners whilst attempting to keep each other warm (Paul and Carol had no trouble there :) and relatively sane as a ghostly coldness makes its presence known. Will our heroes survive? Will the house remain intact? Will the secrets of the previous owners be laid bare....do I care? This was a very run of the mill story, slow and ponderous with wooden stilted characters and felt at times like the board game cluedo or the finale gathering in a Hercule Poirot adventure. Not a story I would recommend.
February 23, 2017
Possibly the most boring novel I have ever read. How could a book of just 183 pages seem so endlessly long and unbearable?
At the halfway mark I considered killing myself.
Please avoid this stinking pile of crap.
At the halfway mark I considered killing myself.
Please avoid this stinking pile of crap.
April 20, 2014
A good haunted house story. Tightly-controlled with a lot of suspense and horror squeezed into its 170-odd pages.
April 25, 2022
DNF@62%
January 16, 2019
This was a fun haunted house novel with a few creepy moments. The premise, which involves members of the military, a TV crew, specialists from the Society for Psychical Research, and some lost newlyweds (of course!!) all being snowed in at a house with a frightening past, was as fun as it was excessive. The ending of the book, however, seems disjointed and somewhat out of place given the rest of the narrative. The story concludes with a personal written account that feels strangely disconnected from the rest of the story, though it uncovers interesting (fabricated) ties between the house and late nineteenth-century exploits related to the British Empire. Because of the conclusion with the first-person narrative that unravels the mystery, the book comes across as a spoof of Arthur Conan Doyle's _The Sign of Four_. If you're reading this from a late-Victorian Gothic perspective, I suspect you'll find this worthwhile. As a haunted house novel, it's an interesting curiosity but probably not a necessary book to add to your list.
July 7, 2023
Kinda want to give this like a 2.5? Story is perfectly good and spooky, but it often feels like the author learned to write dialogue by watching a lot of soap operas, and the archaic treatment of women here seems like even folks reading this when it came out in '78 would have been like "What is this dude's deal?" Also? Why are there like 20 people in the house if so little comes of having more than the main handful there? I was maybe a third of the way through when I stopped bothering to flip back every time a name I didn't recognize/remember popped up; for the overwhelming majority of the book it doesn't seem to particularly matter who's talking anyway.
January 14, 2018
3.5 stars. A great premise - honeymooning newlyweds get caught in a Scottish blizzard and end up seeking shelter at an old dark house, feeling they've somehow interrupted the mysterious activities of the conspicuously strange mixed company they find there - is backed up by above average writing, characters that behave believably for the most part, and an effectively spooky atmosphere. I was actually hoping for a little more intensity near the end, but on the whole this obscure UK haunted house novel from the 70's is pretty enjoyable, and a good incentive for searching out Roy's other works.
January 11, 2022
La historia me gustó; el estilo del autor, no tanto. Pero enterándome por el prólogo de la novela que Archie Roy era, antes que escritor de ficción, un científico prestigioso y un investigador de lo paranormal, ya puedo entender mejor por qué escribe así (con un estilo bastante seco, poco atrapante, que incluye descripciones minuciosas de técnicas reales usadas por investigadores como él, sus ideas al respecto y referencias a libros y autores reales). Pero, en general, la novela está bastante bien y tiene varios momentos escalofriantes. Me gustó.
November 13, 2017
Loving what Valencourt is putting out. This was a perfect haunted house story. Jackson’s HILL HOUSE is the go-to for haunted house stories, but I always thought it dragged and wasn’t all that spooky. DEVIL IN THE DARKNESS was the total opposite. It opens with a newlywed couple, lost in a snowstorm, who land upon a secluded mansion. Perfect setting. From there we get a good little cast of characters and a constant, uneasy mood with supernatural spooks. Short but solid on all fronts.
October 7, 2019
This was a fantastic entry in the "old dark house"/haunted house canon. The backstory behind the Ardvreck House is so delightfully morbid. It was a 3 star book, raised it to a 4 star after thinking more on it. The characters are intelligent, resourceful, and not the immediate "there's got to be a rational explanation trope". My only major gripe was...it's too short. And the stakes didn't feel high enough, in regards to the characters' survival. But a great read
May 6, 2017
All the proper ingredients, right doses and left in the most ordinary hands.
No straying from the average fold of ghost stories. Everything set out in the straight path of a satisfactory reading but nothing more.
The enjoyment of a plain story; too quick for a shiver and not much talent to develop the promising start. No surprises, no surprises, no surprises...
No straying from the average fold of ghost stories. Everything set out in the straight path of a satisfactory reading but nothing more.
The enjoyment of a plain story; too quick for a shiver and not much talent to develop the promising start. No surprises, no surprises, no surprises...
November 9, 2022
Unreadable. The author should have stuck to astronomy instead of trying to imitate Jerome K. Jerome or MR James. I reached 30% with great difficulty and gave up. I have great respect for Valancourt Books and their interest in publishing new editions of "forgotten" horror books. This is the first time I cannot understand their choice.
May 6, 2023
Really dated in a bad way. The hypnotism never felt believable, the one weird gay joke was very jarring (like, why even bring it up?), and also why have female characters if all they are going to do is cook and cry and leave the room because they are too delicate for any real discussions... I did like the element of science and logic but the overall story of the house was not very scary.
October 25, 2018
I couldn't finish this book. I read past 50% of it, still waiting for the story to begin, but it never did. I'll try again when I'm 80, and have nothing else to do. Gave it one star because the books older than I am, so it deserves some kind of respect.
April 16, 2018
Entertaining enough to finish, but just an okay book. The writing is so-so, and I never really cared about any of the characters.
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